Chapter Twenty One

Return To Tartarus Part One

Inaba

Junes Food Court

The next day Souji was finally released from the hospital and as it was a Sunday he gathered everyone to the food court. This time Yukari had joined them for the first time at Junes along with a concerned Aigis.

When Akihiko failed to return yesterday evening she had tried to find him in the Other World but even Teddie was too terrified to locate the boxer. The robot didn't want to look for him without back up and when Souji called everyone to inform them about Akihiko's situation they came to the food court.

Souji looked much better now but he was worried about Akihiko and he wanted to formulate a plan to get him out of the Other World. Once everything was gathered at the usual table Souji filled them in on what he had learned about the Other World.

Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko were already anxious to find him and Kanji had already gotten a new pair of glasses now that he was part of the team. Aigis and Yukari were already set on coming with them and soon the group made their way to the electronics department. The place was deserted thankfully and Souji placed his fingers against the cool glass of the large television set.

With a jolt the group were pulled back through into the Other World and immediately they felt that something was wrong here. Peering over his glasses Souji saw that the fog was thicker than usual. The very air seemed to be thicker and more oppressive. He felt as if he were choking just by standing here.

Kanji looked uneasy about being back here so soon but he wanted to help find the bastard who put him in here in the first place and he wanted to help Akihiko-senpai. Souji looked around when he realized Teddie was nowhere to be found but he breathed easily when the bear came running across the stage. When he saw his Sensei the bear let out a cry of joy and he flung his body into a surprised Souji's arms. The bear was practically sobbing against the teenager's chest.

"Sensei! I'm so glad you're here! Teddie sobbed hysterically.

"Teddie, what's wrong?" Souji pried the bear from his body. "Are you ok?"

"There's something here Sensei! Something dark and terrible but I was too scared to go there by myself." The bear cried out.

"So this is the bear you told me about?" Yukari frowned at the creature. "He doesn't look very useful."

"Hey, don't say that about him." Yosuke glared at the older girl.

"Teddie possesses the same abilities as Fuuka. Without him the battles would be much more difficult." Aigis answered.

"Thanks Aigis." Yukiko smiled brightly at her. "We wouldn't be here without Teddie."

"Sorry..." Yukari muttered. Aigis had to wonder why she even brought the girl along.

"Tell us what happened Teddie. We came here to find Akihiko." Yosuke approached the now calm bear.

"Akihiko came here to find some more clues." Teddie wiped his big eyes. "He met someone here but that guy scared me so much."

"Another guy? Who was it?" Yosuke questioned him.

"Akihiko called him Ryoji." Teddie replied which caused Aigis and Yukari to gasp in horror.

"But that is impossible!" the machine shook her head sharply. "Ryoji cannot be here, not again."

"What did this other guy look like?" Yukari demanded harshly.

"Ahh, he had dark hair and weird blue eyes. Oh, and he wore a big yellow scarf." The bear answered quickly.

"Aigis..." Yukari stared at the machine. "Has the Seal been broken?"

"No, that is not the case." The blond girl answered softly. "Ryoji was another entity separate from Nyx. He only became the Avatar when Nyx came to the world."

"Wait a minute, who's this Nyx?" Yosuke interrupted.

"It's existed since ancient times." Yukari spoke up. "Nyx comes to destroy all life when humanity's suffering is so great they wish for nothing more than their own destruction."

"Do you remember when I said Minato died two years ago?" Aigis stared at Souji. "He became the Great Seal, the only means to keep humanity from reaching Nyx. Ryoji is, quite simply put, Death itself."

"Wait a second. Do you mean, like the Grim Reaper and all that shit?" Kanji said.

"Exactly." Aigis nodded sagely. "Ryoji is the 13th Shadow or the Original Shadow, the origin of the Shadows themselves. For ten years he lived within Minato and then he was released but he changed. He has a human form now as well as emotions."

"Oh man, this is heavy." Chie put her head in her hands. "Death itself? Something like that actually exists?"

"So that was the incident you mentioned." Yukiko whispered. "You fought Death three years ago."

"So why is he here?" Yosuke asked.

"I am uncertain. Ryoji vanished when we sealed Nyx and defeated Erebus." Aigis looked truly puzzled. "Akihiko must seek more answers."

"Do you think he's gone after Ryoji?" Yukari questioned the machine.

"That is a strong possibility." Aigis looked thoughtful. "But with Ryoji here it could mean that the Seal may be weakening."

"Whatever the reason we need to find him." Souji broke into the conversation. "Teddie, take us to Akihiko's location."

"You got it Sensei." Teddie nodded. He sniffed the air for a few seconds before he got a very strong scent. "I got it! Follow me everyone."

The bear took off across the metallic bridge while the rest of the group ran after him. Souji was right behind the fast bear while Aigis and Yukari raced right next to the strange creature. The group ran across the alien landscape until they reached thick metal gates. Teddie pushed the gates open and stepped into a white courtyard but the two girls stopped dead in their tracks.

Both Aigis and Yukari stared in growing horror and disbelief at the giant edifice jutting up from the ground. A green glow rained down upon the structure from a full moon bathing the landscape in emerald green light. Aigis and Yukari could only stare hopelessly at the tower of Demise, the building they once called Tartarus.

"No, no!" Yukari screamed as she backed away. "This can't be here!"

"Tartarus..." Aigis whispered in shock. "How can this be?"

"What is this place?" Yosuke whispered in awe.

"The Tower of Demise, this was where Nyx would descend to the earth during the Dark Hour." Aigis explained. "When we fought her the Tower and the Dark Hour vanished."

"It can't be here!" Yukari gasped out. "This can't be happening."

"This is Akihiko's reality, the place his suppressed self created to escape into." Teddie explained.

"But Akihiko already has a Persona." Souji said. "How is this even possible?"

"It has the same feel as the other places." the bear replied.

"So all we gotta do is find Akihiko?" Yosuke questioned them. "But that place is huge!"

"Well we can't just leave him in there!" Chie yelled. Yosuke pressed hand to his forehead.

"I didn't say that!" he frowned at the girl. "But look at that tower!"

"But what could Akihiko be suppressing?" Yukiko turned to Aigis and Yukari. "Do you guys have any idea?"

"I don't know. We don't really speak anymore." Yukari crossed her arms.

"He...he has never coped well with Minato's passing." Aigis murmured quietly. "This world brings forth your suppressed nature, correct? Akihiko's feelings may have taken on a life of its own."

"But that's impossible if he already has a Persona." Kanji pointed out. "You guys told me how our Shadows emerged so if Akihiko-senpai already has one why is this happening?"

"We won't learn anything by standing around here." Souji spoke up. "Yosuke, you, Aigis and Yukari come with me."

"Ok, Yukiko, Kanji and I will be back up." Chie nodded.

"Good luck Sensei." Teddie call to them.

Souji smiled at the bear then followed Aigis and Yukari into the front entrance of the Tower. Once they were inside they stepped into a chamber with a staircase leading up to what looked like a clock. The group followed Aigis and Yukari into the clock and soon stepped into a passageway with black and white tiles with blood stains on the floor and walls.

Souji felt uneasy just by being here, like he truly didn't belong here. His body felt heavy and he was a little dizzy but he didn't want the others to see how affected he was by this place. Yosuke was staring in awe at the bi-coloured chamber but eventually the group came to a flight of steps. When they climbed the stairs Aigis and Yukari immediately stopped.

"Wait a second; we were in the Thebel block just now." Yukari glanced around. "How did we get to Arqa?"

"I do not know." Aigis shook her head.

It's all my fault...

"Huh? Did you hear that?" Yosuke asked. "It sounded like Akihiko."

I can't bear it anymore. I wished I'd died that day too.

"Are these his thoughts?" Yukari muttered. She looked pale and more than a little worried.

"We need to find him." Souji chose to become his Varna incarnation. The icy entity stood alongside a freaked looking Yosuke.

"How many floors did this place have anyway?" the honey haired boy asked.

"There were six blocks in total within Tartarus, not including the top floor where we fought Nyx's Avatar." Aigis replied.

"You said this place is from Akihiko's memoires." Varna intoned. "These places are usually something that gives their Shadows an idea of happiness."

"This place is a nightmare for him." The blond machine scowled. "But if each floor is a block then we only need to climb six flights."

"Sensei! I can small something on the next floor." Teddie called to his friend.

"Teddie says that something is on the next floor." Varna turned to the others. "What's wrong Kanji?"

"S-Senpai..."the bleached blond teenager openly stared at the almost demonic creature he had transformed into. "Wow, you look awesome."

"Ok, moving on now." Yosuke pushed Kanji forward.

"Over here guys!" Yukiko and Chie had followed Yukari through the new chamber while Aigis remained with Varna and told him what she knew of each floor or Tartarus.

"Looks like your theory is correct Aigis." Yosuke said when they climbed onto a new floor and the decor had changed yet again.

Did I do the right thing? Then why do I hate the world around me? Why didn't I die?

"He must be in so much pain." Aigis whispered sadly.

"Sensei, there's something in the centre of the chamber." Teddie told him quickly.

"Akihiko!" Kanji called out when he caught sight of something moving up ahead. "Senpai!"

"It's all my fault." The silver haired man murmured when the group caught up to him. "Why did I survive?"

"Akihiko?" Varna slowly approached the man.

"It feels like I've been split down the middle. Part of me has been ripped away." The older man cried. "I should have been stronger, I could have done something to save him."

"We're help to help you." Yukiko spoke up.

"Silly little girl." Akihiko hissed harshly. "What makes you think you can help me?"

"Akihiko-senpai?" Kanji now felt that something was very wrong here.

"You all fight and sweat and bleed but for what? To save the world?" he said this was such venom it caused the group to flinch. "In the end nothing matters because your own reason for existing is dead."

"It was not your fault!" Aigis cried out. "Minato never once blamed you! He told me that before he died. You have to stop blaming yourself."

"Oh Aigis," Akihiko laughed suddenly. "I'll never forgive him for what he did."

"Akihiko?" Yukari was becoming more scared by the second.

"You should be grateful Yukari. You hated him more than any Shadow. You want him dead as much as I do." The silver haired man laughed.

"No!" she denied instantly. "I don't want that for him!"

"Don't lie to me you selfish little bitch!" Akihiko screamed as he turned around.

The group took a step back out of fear when they saw the differences in their companion. Akihiko's eyes were now blood red and black veins stuck out on to pale flesh. Black smoke billowed around his body and an evil smirk crossed his chapped lips.

"Akihiko?" Aigis whispered as her eyes widened in shock.

"He's not in at the moment." The creature within Akihiko smirked. "Why don't you say my true name Aigis?"

"Sensei, there's something within Akihiko!" Teddie cried to him. "But it's not a Shadow, not really. It's something else."

"You're a Persona." Varna stepped forward. "Who are you?"

"A Persona?" Yosuke broke in. "B-But that means he's possessing Akihiko!"

"Aigis said that Akihiko's grief was suppressed." Yukiko glanced at the others. "Maybe all his pain somehow became absorbed into the Persona."

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain how it's able to possess Akihiko." Chie said thickly. "What are we gonna do guys?"

"Why do you look so shocked Yukari? Won't you be pleased once I end this bastard's life?" the Persona questioned her.

"That's not true..." the girl muttered.

"He could always see it you know." Those blood red eyes narrowed. "He could see the hate you have for him, the rage that he got to have Minato when you never could. Poor little girl, always going on about how much she distrusts men and never acts when she had the chance."

"SHUT UP!!!" Yukari screamed.

"Minato never loved you." The entity snarled in rage. "He loved the man who condemned him to death...maybe he had a thing for death, after all he did fuck Ryoji."

"What did you say?" Aigis swallowed thickly.

"Oh, Minato loved it. To feel Ryoji inside him, to have that power coursing through his body...the pleasure..." the red eyed creature smiled serenely. "The truth was he loved both of them..."

"That's not true." Yukari sobbed as the last shred of her dreams died before her.

"What the hell are you?" Kanji clenched his fists. "What the hell gives you the right to say this shit to them?!"

"Say my name first Aigis, say my name." The creature taunted. The machine didn't think it was possible for her to feel this helpless and heartsick as she spoke the name of the enraged Persona.

"Orpheus..."

Aren't I an evil person?

Coming up next the team are forced to battle both Orpheus and Thanatos.

Stay tuned for the battle that will change Akihiko's life.